ALFIE SMITH-Every Rome Needs A Nero

ALFIE SMITH Every Rome Needs A Nero  Alfie Smith released his eighth album, Every Rome Needs A Nero, in October 2024. The Hamilton-based troubadour is a popular and crowd-pleasing fixture on the Ontario’s blues/folk/roots festivals and club circuit, but it has been a full decade since his last release, Come On In My Kitchen, a duo record with his wife, Nicole Christian. In a relaxed conversation, Alfie Smith shared some of his songwriting inspirations and discussed various tunes on the album, as well as some of his thoughts on guitars, tunings and songwriting in general. Every Rome Needs A Nero, is a timely and provocative album filled with some intimate lyrics and deeply felt performances. An album to treasure for years to come. “His return to the recording arena with Every Rome Needs A Nero finds Alfie at the height of his creative powers. He is a triple threat: a guitar virtuoso fluent on slide and vintage National and resonator instruments, an eloquent songwriter in the classic blues tradition, and a powerful singer with a voice to match his formidable physical presence. That deep voice sounds like it has been dredged from the depths of the muddy Mississippi River. It is rich and earthy, and capable of expressing tenderness, melancholy, joy, and, in the case of the new album’s title track, righteous anger. Alfie fully flexes his songwriting muscle on Every Rome Needs A Nero, and the gap between albums meant he had a large selection of material upon which to draw. The title tune and opening cut sets the stage sweetly, via a cool trumpet solo, crisp acoustic guitar and a laid back vibe. Smith’s voice locks into a mellow groove, while lyrics featuring historic references remain relevant today.